Streamer mount for flagstaffs



Jan. 20, 1959 w. BOYER STREAMER MOUNT FOR FLAGSTAFFS R O m 1 w L m a v w 8 W0 9 v 1 1 m w m K. w 5.2 w a m 2 m 6 1 2 u. 1 v. w k p Q F Un S a s P O STREAMER MOUNT FOR FLAGSTAFFS Wayne L. Boyer, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application January 29, 1958 Serial No. 712,050

1 Claim. (Cl. 116-173) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to streamer mounts for flagstaffs or the like, particularly that type of flagstatf which is manually carried by military organizations on marches or in parades.

Each military organization of any age and tradition is entitled to mount a streamer on its flagstafi' for each military engagement, battle or the like in which it has participated and/or for each honor or award it has earned. In the instance of a military organization which has existed for a substantial length of time, a relatively large number of streamers are inevitably accumulated. In the past, these have been secured together as a unit and the resultant unit was secured to the flagstalf in the region of the upper end thereof. This practice has the disadvantage that the entire unit has to be removed when a new streamer was added. It also has the even greater disadvantages that the streamers are necessarily tightly bound together and secured to the flagstaif by a single securing means whereby to present an unbalanced and an unsightly appearance. Also, the weight of the unit frequently is so great that it is ripped from the flagstaff by the wind while the organization is on parade.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved streamer mount for a fiagstaff.

A further object is to provide an improved streamer mount for a flagstaif which includes means for mounting the streamers individually on the flagstaif.

A further object is to provide an improved streamer mount for a flagstaif which includes means for adding or removing a'streamer without disturbing the other streamers.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, the structure of the several elements, combinations and snbcombinations of such elements with each other and/or with a flagstaff and components of the same, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing illustrating one species of the invention and to the following specification wherein the invention is described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a fiagstafi on which one form of the invention is mounted;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper end of such flagstatf, parts being shown in vertical section;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the streamer mount apart from the flagstaif and on the scale of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through the upper end of a streamer usable with the invention;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a streamer support according to the invention; and

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a streamer usable with the invention, parts being broken away.

Referring specifically to the invention, wherein like reference characters designate like parts in all views, 10 designates a flagstatf having an upper end 11 which may comprise an ornamental ferrule formed with an axial screw threaded socket 12 which receives the threaded stud 13 of the usual ornamental finial 14. A streamer 15 is shown supported from the flagstaif by a streamer mount 16 now to be described, it being understood that the single streamer and support shown is representative of a large number of similar streamers and supports.

The streamer mount 16, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a flat member, preferably a disc, which is formedwith a substantially axial hole 17 which is sized for a free fit on the stud 13 whereby the mount 16 is clamped to the upper end 11 of the flagstaff between the same and the finial 14 in a manner readily understood. The mount 16 has a free outer edge 18 which is disposed at least substantially radially and concentrically outwardly of the flagstafi 10. The mount 16 is likewise formed with a series of circumferentially spaced holes 19 in the region of the outer edge 18. The streamers 15 are supported by a plurality of streamer supports 20.

Each streamer support 20, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a member in the nature of a snap hook which includes a minor upper bight or hook 21 which terminates in a free and downwardly directed bill 22. Each streamer support 20 also includes a major lower bight or hook 23 which comprises an elongated, straight web 24 and an upwardly directed free bill 25 which may be aligned with the bill 22 in slightly spaced relation thereto. Each streamer 15 is formed with a grommetted hole 26 which is passed over the lower bill 25 onto the web 24 where it is supported. In like manner, the upper bill 22 is passed through one of the peripheral holes 19 in the mount 16 so that the support 20 depends from the mount. After each support 20 has received its allocated number of streamers 15 .and has been applied to the streamer mount 16, the free ends of the bills 22 and 25 may be forced into abutting or overlapping relation so as to prevent accidental loss of the streamers 15 and/or accidental disconnection of the'support 20 from the mount 16. At the same time, when it is necessary or desirous to add or remove a streamer, it is a simple matter to force the bills 22 and 25 apart.

In use, it is apparent, that if the military organization in question has but a few streamers, each streamer support 20 may support but a single streamer 15. At the same time the streamers will be evenly disposed about the fiagstaff 10 so as topresent an attractive appearance. As the organization accumulates honors and streamers, the latter may be so added to the supports 20 that uniform spacing is maintained. Also, it is clear that the inventionresults in an even distribution of the weight of the streamers. It is likewise obvious that the streamers are so secured to the flagstafi 10 that there is no danger of them being dislodged as a unit by any amount of Wind. Finally, this particular arrangement permits each streamer to be virtually individually displayed and readily available for individual examination.

While there has been shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, the invention must not be considered as being limited to the precise structures shown and described hereinabove to each other and to said flagstaff, eaeh streamer sup- 4 port being in the nature of a snap hook, each streamer support including an upper end formed to provide a comparatively small minor bight extending through one of said holes and pivotally engaging said edge of said mount and hanging vertically therefrom in all positions of said flagstaff, each streamer support having a lower A. end formed as a larger major bight, said major bight having a substantially straight bottom web, which is horizontally disposed in all positions of said flagstalf and said web being of suflicient length to support a plu- 5 rality of streamers thereon in horizontal alignment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,976 Center Dec. 11, 1883 312,105 Faivre Feb. 10, 1885 1,121,510 Kinney Dec. 15, 1914 1,413,267 Gerald Apr. 18, 1922 1,497,710 Cole June 17, 1924 

